Method of making wheels



March 1, 1932. E. SMH-H 1,847,414

METHOD OF MAKING WHEELS Original Filed March 9, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet lmamma l www mmm ...llll

IIIWHNHIILIHI INVENTOR 6mm .fm/fb.

G. E. SMITH March 1, 1932.

METHOD OF MAKING WHEELS 2 sheets-smet 2 Original Fadvwlaroh 9, 1928Patented Mar. 1, 1932 Unire!) STATES l ..'r1i1\rr oFFicE GRANT E. SMITH,OF PO'UGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR- TO POUVAILSMITH COR- PORATION, OFPOUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OFl NEW YORK METHOD OCE MAKINGWHEELS Original application filed March 9, 1928, Serial No. 260,295.

1931. Serial The present invention relates to wheels and to themanufacture thereof and has Vfor an f object the provision of a strong,durable and attractive wheel and the economical and 3 expeditiousmanufacture of the same. Inasmuch as the invention has beenparticularlydeveloped `in connection with the ymanufacture of steering wheels forautomobiles such an embodiment has been selected for illa lustration anddescription herein.

The invention insome aspects concerns the manufacture of wheels whereinthe rim, spokes and hub are made of m'oldable material, for example, ofblanks of fibrous matei5,l rial which are assembled and subsequentlycompressed in molds under heat and pressure to form an integral wheel.This provides a quick and economical method of manufacture, the blanksbeing formed of relatively inexpensive material and the operations beingcapable of execution by relatively vunskilled operatives.

The invention in other aspects is particularly directed to the provisionof a molded wheel wherein the hub is formed with an axial bore or recessin the hub for the reception of operating mechanism and an integralaxial extension which may carry a bushing or other m-eans for attachingthewheel o toa shaft; and wherein reinforcing members are provided atpoints requiring additional strength; as for example between the rim andspokes, between the spokes and hub, and between the hub and its axialextension;

YThe present invention is a division from my co-pending applicationSerial; Number 260.295; filed March 9,1928. s l l The enumerated andfurther objects of the invention willlbe better understood from thedescription of an illustrative embodiment thereof, as shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which: J

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a completed wheel made in accordancewith the present invention; Y

Fig. 2 is a sectional View ofthe wheel in position inthe moldl in whichit'has been formed, the section of the wheel being taken on the line 2 2of Fig. 1;.

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional View showing spokes and a flangedextension 32 axially metal YDivided and this application med June 11,No. 543,588. Y

a complete wheel blankassembly in the mold previous to the compressingand molding operation; f y

Fig. '4 is a plan view of the blank assembly before molding, parts beingbroken away; f, Fig. 5 is a section of a hub extension element partlyshaped under pressure; and

Fig. 6 is a view of the blank assembly employed in forming rthe hubextension element. Y

.The wheel, in its completed form, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, comprisesarim 10, spokes 2O and a hub 30, the hub including-a body portion 31embracing the inner ends of the offset with respect to the inner ends ofthe spokes.` The extension 32 is provided with metallic bushing 35 forsecuring the wheel toa shaft, for example a steering post.

If desired, an enlarged bore 33 for the ref ception of parts appurtenantto the .wheel may be formed in the hub on the side opposite the hubextension 32. As illustrated, the bore 33 extends .into the hubapproximately to the lower edge of the spokes. There may also be anenlarged bore 36 formed in thev hub extension 32 below the-bushing 35for thereception of other appurtenant parts, su-ch for eX- ample, as theupper end of a tube surrounding the steeringA shaft carrying the wheel.A reinforcing y member 2l extends throughout the length of each spokeand at its outer end beyond the end of the spoke so astio be embedded inthe rinn Preferably this end is provided with an enlargement 23, thebetter to secure it within the rim, Atits inner endthe reinforcingmember together with the spoke` extends well into the hub-andisvlaterally bent within the hub (as indicated at 22) so as to extendinto the hub extension 32.

. Between each pair of adjacent spokes another reinforcing member'i forthe hub is provided. In the present instance this reinforcing member isformed as a headed wood screw extending at an angle from the body yofthe hub into the hub extension. By this construction and reinforcementthe hub eX- iension is quite rigidly secured to that portion of the hubabout the ends of the spokes 100 and the spokes likewise are securelyheld to the rim. The wheel, as a whole, will thus be quite rigid andwill resist very severe strains tending to rupture it in any direction.

The wheel made according to this inventi on is preferably compressed andmolded to final shape and si ze from a plurality of partially shapedblanks assembled in a mold. In order that the blanks may more readilyconform to the shape of the mold they are made with lateral dimensionsapproximating corresponding dimensions of the mold and the reduction insize is effected principally in a vertical direction by the convergenceof the mold sections. The blanks for the various elements of the wheelare made up `largely from paper, preferably a paper of good quality andconsiderable strength such as kraft paper. impregnated with a suitableadhesive, desirabl.'v an adhesive adapted to be cured under heat andpressure, such as a phenol condensation product. A suflicientarnount ofadhesive may be employed in the paper to cause a surface coating of thesame on the wheel or if preferred for this coating'the adhesive may beapplied in powdered or liquid form to the outer surfaces of the blanks.

The blank assembly for the wheel is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. lnFig. 3 itis shown as placed in the mold before'being compressed and molded.

The mold shown may comprise a lower platev 50 and an upper plate 51 withmating depressions together defining the final shape of the wheel whenthe molds are fully closed. A plunger 52 may be employed to form thebore ofthe wheel. The mold will also comprise chambered plates 53 and 54overlying the backs ofthe mold plates 50 and 51 to provide forcirculation of heating or cooling fluid about the mold plates.

Still referring principally to Fig.V 3 but occasionally also to Fig.`4,the blanks for the wheel are shown as they are assembled in the mold.Firstan annular spirally wound paper ring 40 is placed in the bottom ofthe mold. Upon this a blank section 41 is placed. This blank section 41is preferably partially pre-formed so as approximately to lit within themold. The blank 41 andthe ring 40 to- Iether comprise the hub extension32 in the iinal form of the wheel.

The preparation of this blank 41 will be understood by reference toFigs. 5 and 6. In Fig. 5 the bushing 35 provided with externalprojections 38 (as clearly shown in Fig. 4) is surrounded by a pluralityof annular spirally wound coils of paper 39 of increasing outsidediameter from bottom to top of the blank. rlhis assembly is placedwithin a press ofthe same general shape as that portion of the mold inwhich the blankis to be placed and compressed underhigfh pressure butwithout heat into the general sha-pe in which it is shown in Fig. 6,this also being the shape in which it is found in Fig. 8.

Next a rim blank comprising an annular spirally wound paper ring 1l isplaced in the mold. This ring has bores 12 formed in its inner side forthe reception of the reinforcing members 2l of the spokes. The spokeblanks, comprising vertically laminated paper bars 24 provided withlongitudinal bores 25 receiving the reinforcing member 2l, are now laidin the mold with their outer ends abutting the inner surface of the rimblank, the ends of the reinforcing members extending into the bores 12of the rim, and with their inner ends resting upon the top surface ofthehub extension blank section 41. Between the inner ends of adjacentpairs of spoke blanks, small spirally wound paper rolls 42 are placedand these rolls together with the inner ends of the spoke blanks form inthe completed wheel the principal portions of the body 31 of the hub.The small rolls 42 are provided with axial bores 43 and into these boresthe reinforcing members 37 are dropped, the points of the members 37being inclined as muchr as permissible toward the interior of the hub.Above the inner ends of the spoke blanks and the coils 42 other annularspirally wound paper coils 44 are placed to complete the hub, preferablyforming also in the finished wheel a slightly raised upper annular hubrib 34.

Finally the mold plates are brought toward each other and the coreplunger 52 is dropped into position.

The pressure heads of the press are now brought against the mold partsto press the same against the wheel blank assembly with a lightpressure. The mold is allowed to absorb heat from the pressure heads andthe blank to absorb heat from the mold for a predetermined time, forexample for five minutes, until the blank becomes thoroughly heated andthen the eXtreme pressure is applied to close the mold and compress thecomplete blank to form the wheel as shown in Fig. 2. When the mold isclosed and the blank assembly fully compressed, it is cooled while stillmaintaining'the pressure or a part of the pressure.

During the compressing and molding operation the paper or `other fibrousmaterial of which the blanks are composed will fio-w to conform to theshape of the mold and the material of the several blanks of the assemblywill flow together into homogeneous integral relation to form unitarystructure.

The heat of the mold first softens and makes plastic Aand adhesive andthen, during the compressing operation, the adhesive is cured landhardened. The adhesive material also actsas alubricant between themold and the blank and apparently 'also between the differentthicknessas of paper.

' |The pressure employed may range for ex- CII ample from 500 lbs. to5000 lbs. per square inch on the Wheel depending upon the amount ofcompression desired, the quality o-f the material of the blank, the sizeof the object to be formed and other features characteristic of thematerial, finish or mold. By such pressure the blank Will be reduced toapproximately one-half its original volume. The temperature at which theoperation is performed may vary considerably. Successful results havebeen obtained by compressing kraft paper blanks at temperatures Whichapproach 300O F. It is found convenient to heat the mold by steam undera pressure of about 85 lbs. per square inch. The mold may be cooled whenthe compressing operation is completed by circulating Water in thepassages through which steam Was previously circulated. The preliminaryheating of the mold prior to the insertion of a blank may beaccomplished in any suitable manner. During the compressing operationthe inner end of the reinforcing member 2l in each of the spokes Will bebent down as shown at 22 and firmly embedded in the hub extension 32.The reinforcing members 37 for the spokes will also be either forcedinward at a uniform angle throughout their length or.

bent inward at their loWer ends as shown in Fig. 2 to extend into thehub extension from the hub proper.

Thus an exceptionally strong fabricated structure is provided both byreason of the compressing and molding which increases the density of thematerial and increases the coordination of the fibres and by reason ofthe embedding in the Wheel in places wherein it is normally Weak,reinforcing members Which effectually strengthen the Wheel at these.

points. By the term fabricated structure7 is implied one built up ofseveral parts connected With one another to form a completedA structure.

The foregoing description of a particular embodiment is intended merelyfor illustra-` tion and not as defining the limits of the invention. Theparticular' blank assembly and the particular material specified may bedeparted from as desired Within the spirit of the invention as definedin the appended claims. f

That I claim is:

l. rihe method of manufacturing a Wheel which comprises assembling' in amold, spoke blanks comprising vertical laminations of sheet fibrousmaterial, a hub blank comprising an annular paper roll of spirally Woundsheet Vfibrous material and a hub extension blank comprising annularspirally Wound paper rolls compressed about a bushing, Vand a rim blankof fibrous material, Alongitudinal metal reinforcing members in saidspokes extending into the rim at one end and into the hub at the otherend, and compressing the Whole under heat and pressure to form theQWheel, the metal extensions in the spokes being ybent by the pressureexerted to extend from the inner endsof the spokes into the hubextension;

2. The method of making a-ivheel which 'includes assembling in a mold,spoke blanks of sheet fibrous material, a rim blank of sheet brousmaterial, a hub blank comprising a roll of sheet fibrous materialarranged on edge, and a hub extension blank pre-com-` moldingthe saineto Aforni the Wheel.

3. The method of making a spider Which comprises assembling in a mold,spoke blanks Y comprising sheets of fibrous material in verticallaminations, and a hub blank comprising annularrolls of sheet fibrousmaterial in vertical laminations, and rolls of sheet fibrous materialbetween each l pair of adjacent spokes, kplacing metalreinforcingmembers Within each of said last mentioned rolls and compressing theWhole under heat and pressure to form the spider and embed saidieinforcing members in said hub.

4. The method of making a spider which comprises assembling in a mold,spoke blanks of fibrous material and between the inner ends ofeachadjacent pair of spoke blanks a roll of fibrous material and compressingthe Whole under heat and pressure to form the spider.

5. The method of making a spider which includes assembling in a mold,spoke blanks comprising fibrous material, a hub blank comprising annularrolls of sheet fibrous material, smaller rolls of saidfibrous materialbetween each adjacent pair of spokes, a hub extension blankpre-compressed to approximately the shape of the mold of annular rollsof sheet fibrous material, inserting in each of said interspoke rolls ametal reinforcing o member and compressing the Whole under heat andpressure to form the spider and embed said metal reinforcing members inthe hub and hub extension.

6. The method of making a Wheel which comprises assembling in a mold, arim blank of vertically laminated paper, spoke blanks of verticallylaminated paper provided With longitudinal met-al reinforcing membersextending into the rim at the outer end,a hub extension blank comprisinga lower annular roll of vertically laminated paper, and a hub `blanksection above said annular roll, the

hub blank 'section being pre-formed to approximate size of the mold ofvertically laminated rolls of pap'ercompressed about a metal bushing,placing between the inner ends of each pair of spokes verticallylaininated paper rolls, inserting` within each of saidinterspoke rolls aroughened metal reinforcing member, placing above said spokes Yandinterspoke rolls other annular rolls of vertically laminated paper andcompressing the Whole under heat and pressure to approximately one-halfits original volume to form the Wheel, the pressure exerted serving to Ybend the inner ends of the spoke reinforcing members into the hub andhub extension and embed the interspoke reinforcing members in the huband hub extension.

7. The method oit' making a. Wheel with a large hub cavity at one end ofthe hub and a hub extension therebelow of molded material and lightradial reinforcing means which i comprises compressing the Wheel abovethe inner ends of the radial reinforcing means to bend the same down asthe Wheel shrinks.

8. The method of making a Wheel spider which comprises assembling spokeblanks of moldable material between rolls of moldable material on allsides thereof at the hub, and molding the same under pressure to Jforman integral hub unit- In testimony whereof, have signed my name to thisspecication this y8th day of June, 1931. 4 Y

GRANT E, SMITH.

CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,847,414. Granted March 1, 1932, to

GRANT E. SMITH.

It is hereby certified that errer appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2,line 122, before "unitary" insert the article and word a rigid; and thatthe said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein thatthe same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this Sth day of April, A. D. 1932.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

